The Board found that the Veteran's spina bifida occulta is not a disease or injury for VA compensation purposes and denied his claim for service connection as there was no evidence of a superimposed disease or injury in service.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's current bowel and bladder dysfunction are more likely due to his congenital spina bifida rather than any superimposed disease or injury during service.
- Claimed conditions
- spina bifida occulta, bowel dysfunction, bladder dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 21, 2012
- Citation
- 1221744
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1221744.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for spina bifida occulta (claimed as low back condition or back) was denied because he failed to report for a required VA examination without good cause, and the criteria for direct service connection were not met.
- Denied
The Veteran's child is denied benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805 for spina bifida because the diagnosis of spina bifida occulta does not meet the criteria.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the Veteran's service connection claim for spina bifida occulta with degenerative arthritis and osteopenia is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature of his pre-existing condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for a TDIU prior to October 28, 2014 and temporary total evaluation for thoracolumbar spine disability were denied. Claims for evaluations in excess of the current ratings for bowel disability (from February 4, 2015 to May 18, 2024) and bladder dysfunction (from February 4, 2015 to April 18, 2024) are also denied.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.